BERNINA Halloween 2011 - Felicity & Elizabeth

Description

Lizzie and Ellie as Felicity and Elizabeth the American Girl Dolls. This projects started when we noticed Lizzie (the younger one) looked remarkably like Felicity the Doll (down to the charming gap betweeen her front teeth). It gathered momentum when Ellie (the elder) was cast as Elizabeth in an American Girl school play. It took little persuasion to get Lizzie to be Felicity for Halloween this year. A matching gown for her doll is under construction! Both dresses have lined bodices and button up the back, which are my own changes from the original patterns. The Elizabeth dress is made in two pieces to accommodate growth, and has three deep tucks on the skirt hem, for growth and to provide greater fullness at the hem. Both dresses are worn over full petticoats. I made the petticoat under the Felicity dress from my own design. The Elizabeth dress is worn over my own wedding crinoline. The straw hats were purchased (plain) and embellished to match the dresses. Each girl has a ruffled day cap worn under the straw hat, made from an 18th century pattern.

Material Notes

Both dresses are primarily decorator fabric, which provides greater weight and depth of color. The Felicity dress is a plum moire faille with embroidered lace detail and gold cord. The Elizabeth dress is a heavy brocade – I think the dress weighs about 40 pounds! It also has silk batiste ruffles, green cord and a touch of crocheted lace.

1 Reply

Thank you. I did not make the patterns – I started with basic simplicity patterns and altered to get the look I wanted. they button up the back and the dress for my older daughter I made into a 2-piece dress, added the tucks at the hem. changed the trim ideas, added extra ruffles on the sleeves

The dresses are beautiful and the girls lend the perfect air to them! My sister and I made similar dresses for two of our nieces several years ago and their younger sister, who’s 10. wears them now. As an aside, I’m a native Pittsburgher! It’s this time of year that I grow most homesick, missing the beauty of the leaves.

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